Living small for almost 10 years means we’ve cooked in a tiny kitchen for so long I don’t know what to do when I’m in a normal-sized kitchen. I still find myself sticking to 3 feet of counter space 😂. For reference, we have lived in a 180 sq ft tiny home, an 80 sq ft van, and a 400 sq ft studio. With that being said, I’ve pared down my kitchen gadgets multiple times over the years. When we lived in our “vanlife” Promaster, that was the ultimate test. No fancy anything, just the basics. And honestly, I thought it would be harder than it was. Here are the items I realized I can’t live without, no matter the size of my kitchen. I also think any of these items would make a great gift for a first-time homeowner or housewarming!
01. Pots & Pans
There are three basic pots and pans you’ll want to have and the cast iron skillet is number one.
A well-seasoned cast iron is your go-to for every type of cooking. It’s non-stick and easy to clean. The 10.25-inch round is the perfect size for a small kitchen. Sear meat, fry foods, bake cornbread, cookies, or pizzas, saute or roast veggies, make sauces, fry eggs or make shakshuka, and cook pancakes or crepes. The only thing I don’t cook in my cast iron is an acid-based sauce.
For that, I use my Dutch oven. Boil your pasta water, make your favorite soups and sauces, bake your bread, cook rice, roast veggies, and braise your meats. This pot is a MUST. 4.5 quarts is big enough to cook for up to 6 people.
And while you can technically cook everything in your cast iron skillet and Dutch oven, this saucepan makes your life so much easier. The lid helps it double as a colander for pasta, boil water for coffee or tea, cook small batch sauces or gravies, melt butter or chocolate, reheat leftovers…this will be the pan you grab the most. It’s lightweight, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and is versatile. 1.5-3 quarts is all you need.
02. Mixing Bowls w/lids
And how cute are these?! Mixing bowls also double as serving bowls and storage for leftovers making them versatile and highly useful. Stainless steel is a nice option for a tiny home or van since you don’t have to worry about them breaking.
03. A chef’s knife & paring knife
Two knives will get it done. I live in 400 sq ft now and I still only have these 2 knives. I do everything with them and have never needed more. Even when I’m cooking with other people it still works out. These 2 are your chopping besties!
04. Wooden spoon & fish spatula
Again, only 2 items are needed in the spatula department. A wooden spoon & a fish spatula. The wooden spoon will cover most items for stirring and scooping. It is useful when you can’t use metal in a pan or dish. It also doubles as a serving spoon. It’s a kitchen workhorse. For the fish spatula, I fear most people wouldn’t find this one to be a necessary item. However, let me make a case for why you need it. Its design features a long, thin stainless steel blade with slots to allow for draining and flipping delicate items like fish without breaking them. But its use is not limited to fish. It’s an amazing spatula for flipping eggs, pancakes, fried foods, etc. You don’t need any other kind of flipping spatula when you have one of these. I now have a silicone spatula but I grab the fish one more often. It’s useful for removing items from the pot and transferring them to your bowl or serving dish. If it’s not your go-to now, it should be.
05. Microplane
This is another workhorse that you’ll use allll the time. It’s traditionally used as a citrus zester but it grates many other things. Parmesan, garlic, ginger, turmeric, nutmeg (spices), or even veggies like carrot or radish. It can even be used to grate/soften butter and salvage burnt baked goods. Did you burn your toast? Use the microplane to lightly scrape off the worst of it. Its precision allows for even and fine results making it one of my favorite tools!
06. Epicurean cutting boards
You really only need one of these in a tiny kitchen. But I currently have two sizes and use them both frequently. The main reason I love these is for how thin they are. They are super easy to store without taking up much space. They’re durable, sustainable, heat resistant (use them as a trivet), knife-friendly (meaning the surface is gentle on knives, reducing the likelihood of dulling), easy to clean (dishwasher safe), and are resistant to warping, cracking, and splitting making them more efficient than a wooden cutting board. You also don’t have to oil or condition them like you do with wood. I’ve had mine for over 10 years and they’re still in amazing shape. They come in different colors and sizes as well.
07. Tongs
With over 5,000 5-star reviews, these tongs are another workhorse you will find yourself grabbing over and over again. Flip and grab, stir and turn, serve and toss (hello salads!), grill and lift and plate…they really do EVERYTHING.
08. Can opener
If you cook with canned goods, you can’t go without this. Enough said.
09. Chemex or French Press
Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, if you like to host friends or you like tea, you’ll be glad you have one of these. For the past couple of years, we’ve used a Chemex but before that, we were die-hard French press fans. Either one makes a great cup of coffee. A French press is also great for loose-leaf tea. And both can double as a watering can for your plants lol. Multiple-use items are essential in small spaces.
10. Nutribullet
It’s hard to live without a blender. Specifically the Nutribullet. When we lived in a bigger space we had a Vitamix and I thought it would be hard to go without that but when we moved into our tiny house we didn’t have the room. Enter the Nutribullet! It’s just as effective at blending but takes up sooo much less space. We use it every day. Smoothies, nut milk, dips and spreads, pureeing soups, grinding grains, seeds, coffee beans, protein shakes…the uses are endless. Anything you need to blend or grind, this thing will do it. You won’t regret making room for this one. I’ve also gifted one of these multiple times and the recipients always tell me how much they love it.
Honorable mention: I’ve always made room for measuring cups and spoons because baking without them is not an easy feat. But not everyone likes to bake and you can easily cook without them. So they are technically on MY must-have list but I know for many they are not necessary.
What are your top must-haves for the kitchen? Whether you have a tiny kitchen or not, I’d love to know.
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